martin



2 Sheets--Sheet 1,

S. MARTIN. ALBUM.

PatentedSeptQl'Y, 1895.

UNITED: STATES PATENT rnicn.

SWAN MARTIN, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

ALBUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,337, datedSeptember 1'7, 1895.

Application filed February 16 1895. Serial No. 538,644. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SWAN MARTIN, of Oklahoma, Oklahoma county, OklahomaTerritory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Albums,of which'the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof.

My invention relates to albums, and my object is to produce an albumwherein the picture-carrying leaves or frames are each independentlypivoted or hinged and may be easily and quickly placed in or removedfrom position, thereby making it more convenient for theinsertion orremoval of pictures therein.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an album which isornamental and attractive in appearance, and is simple, durable, andinexpensive of construction.

To the above purposes, the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 represents aperspective view of a cabinet-album embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a frontview of the same opened to exposethe mirror therein. Fig. 3 represents a perspective View of the sameopened to expose the construction of the front and back of thepicture-carryin g leaves or frames. Fig. 4: is a vertical section takenon the line at 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the rearcorners of said cabinet-album with the cover removed. Fig. 6 representsperspective views of the barswhich rotatably support the pivotedpicture-carrying leaves or frames, and Fig. 7 represents a plan view ofa portion of one of said picture-carrying leaves or frames.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the bottom, 2 the rear end, and 3 thesides, which project vertically upward from the rear and side margins,respectively, of the said bottom. The front ends of the sides 3 arebeveled or extend obliquely at an anglefof about fortyfive degreesdownwardly and forwardly to the front end of the bottom 1.

5 designates a cover, which is connected by hinges 6 to the upper marginof the rear end -2, and when closed rests upon the upper ends of thesides 3 and overhangs the beveled front ends 4 thereof. A front lid 01'cover 7 is hinged at 8 to the under side of the top lid or cover 5, nearits front margin, and closes the space between the bottom 1, the top lidor cover 5, and the side walls 3, as shown clearly in Figs. '1 and 4.

Secured to the front end of the top lid or cover 5, is a plate 9, of anyornamental con figuration, and projecting from the same are eyes 10,through which extend a pin 11, upon which is pivoted the catch 12,preferably of spring-steel. The loop and lower end of the catch 12detaohably engages the pin or hook 13, projecting from a plate 14secured to the front end of the'bottom 1. These plates or catches may benickel, silver, or gold-plated, as desired, or may be ofoXydized-silver, or enameled in any desired color. The whole cabinet orcasing just described will also be made of an attractive and ornamentalappearance by a covering of leather, plush, or any other suitablematerial, and the word Album will preferably appear upon the front lidor cover 7., The inside of said cabinet or casing will be lined in anattractive manner. In order to support the top lid or cover in aposition where the pictures may be viewed to the best advantage, and sothat it cannot accidentally close, I employ a pair of hinged braceswhich act automatically, yielding when the lid or cover is lowered, andarresting or limiting the movement when the cover has been openedsufficiently wide. These braces comprise each a metallic strip 15, whichis pivoted at its lower end inward of and to the contiguous side wall,and the metallic strip 16, which is pivoted at one end at 17 to thecontiguous end of the strip 15, and at its opposite end, as at 18, to abracket or ear carried by. the lid or cover 5. In order to prevent thepivots of these braces assuming or occupying a single plane, which wouldrequire the joint of said braces at 17 to be broken each time the lid orcover 5 was closed, the lower end of the strips 16 are bent, as at 19,to overlap the strips 15, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will thus beapparent that the said overlapping portions or flanges 19 not only serveto hold the strips forming the braces at a slight angle to each other,but also by coming in contact with the contiguous edge of the strips 15,limit the upward movement of the lid or cover 5. Secured internally toeach side wall 3, and extending parallel with the oblique or beveledmargins at thereof, is a bar 20, which is provided in its inner andfront side with a channel or recess 21. A metallic plate 22,corresponding in contour with the side bar 20, is secured to its innerside by screws or any other suitable means, and overlaps or projectsabove the bottom or base of the said channel or recess, and saidprojecting portion is provided with aseries of vertical notches 23, asshown clearly in Fig. 4. Leaves or frames 24: are provided in theirfront and lower faces with picturereceiving cavities 25, of the ordinaryconstruction, and these will be preferably arranged so that the picturemay be inserted from or near their rear ends. Each of said leaves orframes, which will be attractively trimmed with fancy paper of anysuitable kind, is lined upon the back, as shown at 26, to receive thegenealogy or any other desired information regarding the person whosepicture is contained within said frame. Each of said picture-carryingleaves or frames is stiffened by a metallic rod 27, which is secured inany suitable manner-to the rear end thereof, and, projecting beyond thesides of the same, form trunnions, which pivotally rest within thenotches 23 of the pivot-carrying plates 22, said picture-carrying leavesor frames corresponding in number to the notches in said plates. Thesepicture-carrying frames may each contain one or any suitable number ofpictures side by side, and are provided with pins or handles 28,projecting forwardly from their front margins, said pins occupyingdifferent vertical planes, so that they may be easily grasped or engagedby the thumb or the thumb and finger of the operator. The undermost leafor frame 2%, instead of containing a picture or pictures, contains amirror 29, so that the person glancing at the pictures in the album asthe leaves are successively raised will be confronted at last by apicture of himself.

In operation, to open the album the catch is disengaged from the pin orhook l3 and employed as a handle by which to raise the lid or cover 5 tothe position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where it is arrested and supportedby the hinged braces hereinbefore described. The front cover 7automatically assumes the position shown in said figures. To view eachpicture, after first reading the matter contained on the back of theleaf or frame, its

pin or handle 28 is grasped and it is operated to the position shownmost clearly in Fig. 3. WVhen the last leaf or frame is elevated, thepicture or representation of the operator appears in the mirror 29, ashereinbefore stated.

An album constructed as described, so that information generallyinteresting as to name,

residence, 850., appears before the picture of the subject, will befound to possess considerable advantage over albums of the ordinaryconstruction. By providing said album, also, with a casing or cabinet ofattractive and ornamental appearance and at the same time strong anddurable, the contents will also be better protected from dust and wearthan pictures contained in albumsof the ordinary construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An album cabinet, consisting of a bottom, a rear end-wall, side-wallshaving their front ends beveled; said bevel extending downwardly andforwardly to the front end of the bottom, a lid or cover hinged to therear end-wall, and an inclined lid or cover hinged to the front end ofthe first-named lid or cover and closing the space between the beveledends of the sides, and a spring-catch extending externally from front torear over said inclined lid, and hinged at its upper end to the frontend of the first-named lid or cover and engaging at its lower end a pinprojecting from the front end of the bottom, substantially as set forth.

2. An album cabinet, consisting of a bottom, a rear end-wall, side-wallshaving their front ends beveled; said bevel extending downwardly andforwardly to the front end of the bottom, a lid or cover hinged to therear endwall, and an inclined lid or cover hinged to the front end ofthe first-named lid or cover and closing the space between the beveledends of the side, and a spring-catch extending externally from front torear over said inclined lid and hinged at its upper end to the front endof the first-named lid or cover and engaging at its lower end a pinprojecting from the front end of the bottom, in oonr biuation with aseries of pivoted picture-carrying leaves inclosed by said cabinet,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

SWAN MART] \Vitnesses:

SWAN PARSON, GEO. SCHULER.

